Free Catch Your Breath by Shannyn Schroeder Page A

her brothers all running toward her. She rolled her eyes.
     They all looked pissed. She thought to stop them, but remembered Jimmy and Sean were
     big boys. Let them deal with it themselves.
    Colin and Ryan led the pack. All she heard as she walked by was, “What the fuck, O’Malley?
     How the hell did our sister get hit?”
    She definitely needed a beer.

    Jimmy sent Gabby after Moira to make sure she put ice on her head. He needed to deal
     with her crazy brothers. Sean already stepped out in front of it, explaining what
     had happened. He apologized, but quickly pointed out that he didn’t throw the first
     punch or hit Moira.
    They calmed down. Irritated, but accepting of the situation. Colin, Ryan, and Michael
     headed back to where they were setting up a fire pit. Tommy and Kevin had emerged
     from wherever they’d been hiding, and Sean began telling them about the fight.
    Jimmy crossed his arms as he stood beside Liam. He watched his brothers reenact the
     brief brawl and then looked over at the O’Learys, who were simultaneously checking
     on Moira and rallying the family to make s’mores. “Do you see what I see?” he asked
     Liam.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Look at your family and look at mine. Is it any wonder why I’m looking for a wife
     who will be at home to raise my kids? We’re pretty fucked up.” His brothers were congratulating
     Sean on his win, if that’s what you could call it when fighting a drunk.
    “Our families are different, but my mom worked, remember? She worked at the bar all
     the time when we were young.”
    “But she was always there for you guys. I remember your mom always being around.”
    Liam shrugged. “Your mom would’ve been around if she could’ve. Having a job isn’t
     what killed her.”
    “I know, but if she hadn’t been forced to work to help support us, she wouldn’t have
     been walking home late at night. She wouldn’t have gotten mugged. She wouldn’t have
     been killed.”
    “That’s some faulty logic. She could’ve just as easily been attacked coming home from
     the grocery store.”
    Jimmy didn’t have an answer. He knew it didn’t make sense, but he needed to have some
     control over the variables in his life. He could provide for a family. It’s what he
     wanted to do.
    “Come on. I’ll buy you a beer. You look like you could use one.”
    Liam led the way back to the fire pit and pulled up two lawn chairs. The plastic weave
     was old and fraying, and Jimmy worried about whether it would hold him. He sat and
     immediately regretted it. The spot put in him Moira’s line of glaring. And she was
     shooting some dirty looks in his direction. What the hell had he done to piss her
     off? He didn’t hit her. He hadn’t even been part of the fight. He’d simply pointed
     out the carelessness of her actions.
    Yeah, that’s what a woman wanted to hear when she was hurt. Tell her how it was her
     fault. Dumb ass. Jimmy knew better, and if it had been anyone else, he still would’ve
     been upset, but he would’ve held his tongue. Something about Moira made him cross
     the line. Every time.
    He couldn’t tell her the panic he’d felt seeing her get hit.
    Brushing aside the thought and the image that went with it, he took a gulp of the
     beer Liam handed him.
    Griffin’s wife, Indy, stood from her spot in the grass and said, “Okay, most of the
     kids are gone or they’re with their parents at their own fire. I think it’s time for
     some fun. What game should we play?”
    Moira’s eyes narrowed. “Truth or dare.”
    “Ooo . . . that’s good. I’ll start.” She tapped her lips like she needed to plan something.
     “Moira, truth or dare?”
    Moira got a cocky glint in her eye, and he knew he was in trouble. “Truth.”
    Indy’s face lit up. “Who was the last guy you made out with and was it any good?”
    All four of her brothers plus Griffin cringed. Liam spoke for them all. “You can’t
     ask those kinds of questions. We don’t